The Conservative Prime Minister has presented a motion to Canada's Parliament to recognize the province of Quebec as a nation within Canada.
Can you imagine the United States declaring Hawaii or Alaska a "nation" within the U.S., thus reducing all other states to some kind of second-class status?
Unimaginable.
In Canada, however, this has widespread support among all federalist parties, who have been giving away the store for a generation now.
For years, arrivees have descended the escalator at Dorval Airport in Montreal and been confronted with a large illuminated sign that reads "Immigration Quebec". Newcomers must wonder what country they have landed in.
Can you imagine landing in Dallas and seeing a "Texas Immigration" sign?
Didn't think so.
I remember crossing by car into Quebec from the US at a border station where there was not a single sign or flag or symbol that indicated the country you were entering was in fact Canada.
Can you imagine a similarily unadorned US border crossing?
Didn't think so.
In Canada, we refer to our native Indian populations as "first nations".
I guess this makes Quebec a "second nation".
One thing that the first nations and Quebec share in common is that none of them are net contributors to the wealth of Canada -- each one of them, Quebec included, receives sizable subsidies from the rest of us plain-Jane Canadians who comprise the rump of Canada.
Canada should make it a condition of nationhood that a tribe or province or other organizational entity is a net economic contributor to the rest of the country.
The mighty nations of Alberta and Ontario, anyone?
And that's the way the Ball bounces.
4 comments:
Quebec is bankrupt. It has an enormous debt. It also has the highest taxes in North America.
While the Québecois believe that they are financing the rest of Canada the fact is that huge sums are being poured into the province.
If the gravy train stopped Quebec would suffer from a huge decline in their standard of living. For now they are able to bully the rest of the country but I have noticed a change in attitude. This time I can't imagine a huge march to encourage Quebec to stay.
The next time they threaten to leave a significant number of folks will say "Just do it and shut up." Only the Ottawa politicians and our chattering elite care any more.
The term "la nation" in Quebec has a far different meaning from that which Mr. Harper espoused. It will be interesting to see how it plays out.
Now the question is does it apply to anyone living in Quebec regardless of their ethno-linguistic background?
How about a Westmount Anglais? What about our Governor General? Are they part of "la nation" or does it apply only to the descendants of Louis Hébert?
The way Quebecers think they will probably discuss the permutations and combinations of the meaning of "nation" for the next decade. In the meantime they will continue to suck the sustenance from the rest of the country.
http://www.ottawasun.com/Comment/Dewar/2006/11/26/DEWAR450.jpg
Here's what will happen.
I don't think the previous address will work.
Try this.
The next step.
At least PEI comes next in line.
Post a Comment